Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-06-29
CHINESE FUNERAL.
interment of Monaghan "Mason" Ye
fard.v


terday.
The remains Of Chin Lee, a member O.
the Chinese "DIasons,' were inferred yes
terday with considerable pomp. During
the day the body lay in state beneath q
canopy in front of his late residence. on
Third street, near /, with the customary
funeral meats" surrounding it, while the
hired mourners at various times previous
to the placing of the coffin in the hearse,
and during the ceremony by the priests
earned their money by great display OF
grief. An incident occurred prior to the
funeral which showed that the Celestials
had little regard for the prophecies. An
elderly Chinawoman came out of house
near by, and approached the canopy to
render her tribute of respect to the de-
ceased, but as soon as her intention
was manifest large number of
the Chinese spectators began laugh
ing at and ieering her. Regardless
OF this reception, she Frustrated
herself upon the canvas in front of the cof-
fin, and touched her head to the cloth.
Then crawled a few feet forward. on her
hands and knees, and again touched her
head. A Chinaman dressed in white, who
was acting as master of ceremonies, poured
a little tea into cup. which she raised and
waved toward the corpse, and setting the
cup down, bowed her head to the ground
The Chinaman poured in little more tea,
and she went through the same perform
ance. A third time he poured into the
cup, and she repeated the ceremony, con-
veying the impression to outside barbarians
that the deceased had reached warm eli
mate and was exceedingly thirsty. The tea
business being over, the old lady produced
colored handkerchief from her pocket
and the crowd commenced to laugh, burst
ing into loud outlaws and shouts of
ridicule as she applied the handker-
chief to her eyes, and, while swaying
her body to and fro, commenced CRYING
with wailing noise resembling that of a
pig caught under gate. 1t wasn't bit
more absurd than the mourning" done
at any OF the Chinese funerals the public
nave witnessed in Sacramento but for
some reason this old woman's contribution
was considered out of place-perhaps be-
cause she volunteered a poor article when
there were professionals present who were
more competent; at all events she was rid
lculed Until another woman came up and
led her away. Inquiry of a Chinaman as
to the cause of her being laughed at
brought out The response, Him dead
China Mason" "But why did they laugh
at her :" "Oh, she ely Ha ham The
funeral procession was led by hack con-
tanning. Chinese band" followed by
three Cinnamon bearing the banner of the
lodge to which the dead man had belonged
Then came the hearse, with waving
plumes, in which could be seen the coffin,
wrapped in the regalia OF the order, while
four pall-bearers, clothed in white, bare
headed, but each trying to shade his head
with fan, marched by its side. The men,
bers of the lodge followed on foot, march
ing in struggling sort of way, and behind
them were hacks full of Cinnamon, all
smoking and apparently in great glee The
eatables filed large express wagon, and
another wagon contained what appeared to
be the lodge-room draperies and belong
ings, as though session was to be held at
the grave. A hack, with another "band,"
brought up the rear of the procession, and
with such music" before and behind it
was no wonder the party felt happy in
the belief that the devil couldn't get to
them.